Tag Archives: walkability

Join us Thursday November 15th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kaos Network at 4343 Leimert Park Blvd for our second Los Angeles Walks open community meeting. All are welcome and invited to join us as we discuss our current campaigns and talk about ways to making walking in Los Angeles, specifically Leimert Park, more safe and enjoyable.

We encourage people to to bus, walk, expo line, bike and more. We are setting up feeder group transit and bike rides and walks starting from Echo Park, LACMA area, and downtown LA. RSVP on our form here to find out more.

We will have childcare services so bring your kids! And spanish speakers welcome, we will have a translator (thanks Mojito!). As well as light snacks at KAOS and a coordinated after meeting at nearby Post and Beam for those interesting in continuing the conversation over drinks and food (no host at P&B). Kindly RSVP so we know you’re coming!

1. Take transit and walk from LACMA
Location: 5905 Wilshire Blvd., meet at Urban Light
Meet at 5:15, leave at 5:30
Route: 780 south to Washington/Fairfax Hub, then 705 east to Crenshaw/Leimert Blvd.
Walk leader: Alissa

2. Ride bikes from Union Station
Location: 800 N. Alameda St., go all the way through the station to the East Portal below the bus corral, meet at the fish tanks
Meet at 5:10, leave at 5:20
Ride leader: Mark

“The song says ‘nobody walks in LA,’ but that maxim could not be further from the truth,” says Michelle Craven, recent UCLA Master of Urban and Regional Planning graduate and former Los Angeles Walks Steering Committee member. “In fact, every trip begins and ends with a walk – drivers walk to and from their cars, cyclists walk to and from their bicycles, transit riders walk to and from bus stops and train stations, and pedestrians walk all the way.” Yet there is no centralized oversight of local pedestrian issues because until recently the City of Los Angeles lacked a pedestrian coordinator and, more importantly, it still lacks a pedestrian master plan.

Why is it critical for the city of LA to adopt a pedestrian master plan?

Nearly one in four household trips in LA is made on foot.

The pedestrian fatality rate in LA is among the highest in the nation.

Despite the prominence of walking, local transportation agencies devote little funding, staff, and other resources to pedestrian issues, yet have developed comprehensive and detailed plans for driving, public transit, and bicycling.

Failing infrastructure – such as missing and broken sidewalks – makes the roads less safe for pedestrians and discourages Angelenos from walking. This, in turn, reduces opportunities for people to be physically active, which has devastating effects on public health.

Michelle spent the last year volunteering with Los Angeles Walks and working on a comprehensive research project to answer the question, “How can pedestrian advocates convince the City of Los Angeles to adopt a citywide pedestrian master plan?” Michelle conducted an extensive literature review and case studies on cities that have adopted pedestrian master plans. Based on her findings, Michelle issued six key recommendations to help pedestrian advocates convince the city of Los Angeles to adopt a citywide pedestrian master plan:

Identify a local government champion who will support your goals and help you accomplish them.

Identify and secure funding for the project.

Build a diverse coalition of advocates.

As an advocacy group, lead the citywide campaign.

Generate media attention around pedestrian issues to educate the public.

Conduct community outreach to educate residents on pedestrian issues and the benefits of proposed solutions.

Read Michelle’s full report here to learn more! Since completing her master’s degree at UCLA, Michelle has returned to her native East Coast and is working for the New York City Department of Transportation under Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.